2009 MotoGP – Motegi Photos

April 27, 2009

Round 2 of the 2009 MotoGP Championship at Twin Rings Motegi Circuit in Japan. Jorge Lorenzo claimed his second career MotoGP victory with an impressive win at Motegi. For our more advanced readers we also offer a non-picture book format of the 2009 MotoGP Motegi Results.

Nicky Hayden: 'That was exactly what we didn’t need. I got a decent start and I think I was up a couple of positions but just going down into the hairpin, which is a slow hard-braking corner, I was on my line and Takahashi just took me down. There was no warning - I didn’t even hear anything!'

Capirossi being followed by Pedrosa during practice on Friday in Motegi.

Vermeulen made a great start and was in a podium position in the early part of the race, but an electrical fault relating to gear shifting caused Suzuki's Australian star to drop back through the field, ending in 10th in Motegi.

Rizla Suzuki in practice.

Stoner laying waste to Vermuelen on his campaign to recoup as many points as possible after loosing ground at the start of the race due to brake chatter.

What were we suppose to be doing here? . . . oh, that's right, photographing a MotoGP race.

Loris Capirossi looking as content as a dog in the park before Race 1 in Montegi.

The Rizla Suzuki team keeping Vermeulen's GSV-R in good form.

Ducati Marlboro in practice.

Ducati Marlboro in practice.

Casey Stoner had a poor start in Motegi, dropping from the front row to sixth on the first lap and then losing another position. He fought back with the zeal of championship winner pick off Vermeulen and Dovi for fourth.

Valentino Rossi practicing on Friday in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Rossi ran the quickest lap in practice, but when race time came his teammate Jorge Lorenzo had the speed edge.

Jorge Lorenzo, after practice on Friday: 'My M1 felt good when braking, under acceleration and in the corners so I think we are in good shape.'

Loris Capirossi got boxed in at the start of the race and was relegated back to 11th position on the first lap. He set about battling his way through the field to take seventh in Motegi.

The worst opening lap belonged to Nicky Hayden, who was unceremoniously t-boned by the sole Japanese rider on the grid, Yuki Takahashi.

A graphical schematic of Jorge Lorenzo's evolution from boy into racing machine.

Lorenzo becomes the new MotoGP points leader with a win in Motegi, Japan.

Lorenzo was able to open up a little gap between himself and Rossi at the halfway point of the Motegi Grand Prix.

Despite facing strong competition from his teammate Valentino Rossi and Ducati Marlboro's Casey Stoner, Fiat Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo showed the world that he was more than just a runner-up when he won the Motegi Grand Prix.

Dani Pedrosa took a hard-fought third place for Respol Honda at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit, at points passing Rossi for second.

Monster Yamaha Tech 3's Colin Edwards encountered a small problem in the early stages of the race in Montegi and finished in 12th.

British rider James Toseland gave himself a welcome confidence boost with a determined ride to ninth place, fighting off challenges from Vermeulen and De Puniet.

Lorenzo in practice.

Rossi in practice.

Rossi in practice.

Colin Edwards, 12th: 'We had a small issue at the start of the race and I simply couldn't ride how I wanted to. I kept my head down and persevered throughout and perhaps a few more laps I could have chased down the guys in front for a top ten.'

Valentino Rossi: 'It's a good race, second place is not a victory but it's still twenty points for the championship. I think the championship will become very interesting now because we have four riders ready to battle for wins at the end.'

After qualifying was canceled on Saturday due to rain, the riders returned for an extended 40 minute warm-up on Sunday. Although initially wet things cleared by the time the race kicked off. Fiat Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi assumed the pole position from his Friday results.

Who needs Red Bull when you can actually fly.

Overly confident and slightly smug, Rossi's winning personality is starting to rub off on to his teammate Jorge Lorenzo, to good effect.

Yamaha has suplemented its pre-race arsenal of umbrella girls with 'prison bait girls' - sometimes you have to take risks to end up on top.

Lorenzo: 'Seeing as were teammates and both in the running for the Championship wouldn't be nice if we acted civil to each other?'
Rossi: 'Piss off kid.'

Lorenzo giving the Spanish Fist Jab, get use to it.

Tension builds between the Fiat Yamaha team as Lorenzo steals the points lead from Stoner and Rossi. There can be only one alpha male in the Championship, and Rossi will be looking to reestablish his dominance in Lorenzo's own territory in the next Grand Prix in Jerez, Spain.

The MotoGP podium in Motegi saw the two Fiat Yamaha riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi taking first and second, respectively. Respol Honda's Dani Pedrosa contested second, but began to fade behind Rossi in the final 5 laps to take third.

Rossi jumped out the claim the holeshot and dominate the early laps, but Lorenzo fought his way up passed the Italian on Lap 8 in Motegi.

Jorge Lorenzo performing a victory leap following his win in Motegi. Will we continue to see such exuberant antics from the usually calm and collected Spaniard.

Rossi duked it out with Pedrosa for position for most of the race, allowing Lorenzo to build an advantage over the Italian that he could surmount late in the race.

The worst opening lap belonged to Nicky Hayden, who was unceremoniously t-boned by the sole Japanese rider on the grid, Yuki Takahashi.

The American suffered another heavy blow to the back injury he suffered in Qatar but luckily he escaped without any further damage.

The race was decided as Rossi pulled away from Pedrosa in the latter stages to take second after Lorenzo for the the Fiat Yamaha clean sweep. With both teammates intent on wining the championship, expect more neck-to-neck races between the Spaniard and Italian.

The Kentucky Kid heads into the tunnel under the oval straightaway before being hit by Yuki Takahashi. Both riders were done for the day, gathering DNFs.

With 5 to go it was Lorenzo’s turn to fade, as Rossi began his charge, but there were not enough laps and Lorenzo was too strong and powered to the line for the win.

Monster Yamaha Tech 3's Colin Edwards finished 12th, remarking, 'When I got going in the race my lap times were as quick as the top five, so it's a case of wondering what might have been today. We'll look to bounce back in Jerez next weekend because I feel like I'm riding really well.'

Dani Pedrosa, 3rd: 'In the end I was near the front for the whole race, had a good battle for second, and finished on the podium so this is great. We still have to sort out some issues on the machine, but it’s a very positive result going in to the Jerez.'

Casey Stoner, 4th: 'On the warm-up lap I felt I a lot of chatter from the front brakes, they weren’t smooth and I wasn’t confident over the first five or six laps. I really didn’t know what to do, I wasn’t able to brake where I wanted to and I wasn’t confident.'

Lorenzo claims ownership of Motegi in his personal manifest destiny to conquer the MotoGP Championship.

Jorge Lorenzo: 'I didn't really get a very good start, I think I even finished the first lap in third or fourth. After that I began to catch up the pace. I passed Valentino and opened up a little gap, about a second and a half, and he was following me very hard. I had to ride the best I can to get the victory.'

Ducati Marlboro in practice.

Ducati Marlboro in practice.

The cancelled qualification meant that Nicky Hayden was stuck all the way back in 12th on the grid for Sunday.